The Return of the King, the third installment of the enormously popular Lord of the Rings movie trilogy opens on Wednesday, December 17. Begin your quest with these resources.

The movies

The official movie website has news, summaries of all the movies in the trilogy, trailers, video and photo galleries, interviews with the cast and filmmakers, and loads of information about the characters, weapons and warfare, and the cultures of Middle Earth.

Use the Internet Movie Database to find detailed information on The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, and The Return of the King, including cast and crew, plot summaries, soundtracks, box office grosses, online trailers, and reviews from professional critics.

Lord of the Rings: Official Movie Guide
Brian Sibley
791.4372 qL866Zs 2001
A behind-the-scenes look at the making of the trilogy. Includes interviews with the cast and crew, and loads of full-color photographs.

The Lord of the Rings: The Art of The Two Towers
Gary Russell
791.4372 qT649tZr 2003
Lavishly illustrated guide to the sets, scenery, and costumes of The Two Towers.

The literary connection

The Fellowship of the Ring
J.R.R. Tolkien
Fiction
First volume in the series. Available in regular print, large print, audio cassette, and compact disc.

The Two Towers
J.R.R. Tolkien
Fiction
Second volume in the series. Available in regular print, large print, audio cassette, and compact disc.

The Return of the King
J.R.R. Tolkien
Fiction
Third volume in the series. Available in regular print, large print, audio cassette, and compact disc.

The Hobbit
J.R.R. Tolkien
Fiction
Introduction to the Middle Earth world. Available in regular print, large print, audio cassette, and compact disc.

The Silmarillion
J.R.R. Tolkien
Fiction
Collection of stories about the First Age of the Middle Earth, published after Tolkien’s death. Available in print, audio cassette, and compact disc.

An excellent Lord of the Rings book discussion guide is available in NoveList.

The Tolkien Archives, is a collection of articles from the New York Times Archives about the author and his books. It also includes interviews and book reviews. Free registration is required to access some articles.